The information below is just scratching the surface of the topic of biofilms and how they play a roll in our world and in our personal health. The study of biofilms is an ever evolving science. Biofilms are directly related to our health on many different levels. I have another biofilm post as it relates to our water supply.  What are Biofilms? You may not be familiar with the term “biofilm” but you have certainly encountered biofilm on a regular basis. The plaque that forms on your teeth and causes tooth decay is one type of bacterial biofilm. The buildup that clogs your drains is also biofilm. If you have ever walked in a stream or river, you may have slipped on biofilm-coated rocks. Biofilm forms when bacteria adhere to surfaces in moist environments by excreting a slimy, glue-like substance. Sites for biofilm formation include natural materials above and below ground, metals, plastics, medical implant materials, even plant and body tissue.  Wherever you find a combination...

  The water pipe which supplies water to your house may look a lot like the picture above. Some people look at this and just brush it off as sediment or sludge without giving much thought to what it actually is and how it is formed. Biofilm not only forms in supply lines, it also forms in your drain pipes. The most common areas in your house are in bathroom sinks and around toilet flanges.  Municipal Water Municipal water treatment use a variety of processes and chemicals to treat your water before sending to your house. The facility purposely put chemicals in your water to help reduce biofilm growth. This means the water entering your home is a mixture of chemicals and microbes.  What are Biofilms? Biofilm forms when bacteria adhere to surfaces in moist environments by excreting a slimy, glue-like substance. Sites for biofilm formation include natural materials above and below ground, metals, plastics, medical implant materials, even plant and body tissue.  Wherever...

  Let me preface by stating the following:  After 20 years of dealing with mold and knowing what I know, you'd have to be crazy to DIY mold.   Well, there is a lot of talk out there, in DIY forums and even websites that (for a fee) will give you the steps on how to remediate your household mold. Let's look at the positive and negative aspects of DIY mold removal and the vultures that prey on the DIY'ers that want to save money and bypass professional services. These vultures do not care about you, your health or the health of your family. Nor do they care about protecting your investment. If someone tells you to use bleach to kill the mold, ask them if they also still believe in the Easter Bunny. I know most people that are reading this will think that since I am in the "mold" business, my blog will be biased.....well, I guess it is. My experience in the industry has actually prompted me to start this blog. Over the years I have experienced many scenarios in...

  This post is directed towards food concerns as related to mold. Mold is in our air, it plays a beneficial role in our ecosystem. We need mold, but do we need it in our food?  Let this sink in - We cannot always control if we have mycotoxins in our food, we can control what foods we eat.  If you think mold may be contributing to your health related issues, it's time to start thinking about your diet.  Consuming any mycotoxin is never a good idea, so a diet consisting of foods with a higher probability of containing mycotoxins would not be considered wise.  You are what you eat, never forget it! Now to get a bit more clinical. Definition of Mycotoxic - Pertaining to or emanating from a mycotoxin.  Definition of Mycotoxin - Mycotoxin (from the Greek word (mykes) "fungus")  Definition of Toxin - From the Greek word toxikon, lit. (poison) is a poisonous substance produced by living cells or organisms.  Mycotoxins cause a wide range of health prob...

   We live in the Information Age, and unfortunately the Disinformation Age as well.   Everyday we receive calls from people who have discovered mold in their homes, places of business or elsewhere and they have questions. They have lot's of questions, and rightfully so. Most people will start by doing an internet search looking for answers. Some people become overwhelmed, some scared and some confused. To be honest all of those emotions are justified, let me tell you why.  Bad Advice But wait, a person on social media said this, my relative said that, I read this, I watched a video....etc. Who and/or what is to be believed? If your comfortable with your mechanic also cutting your hair or your plumber also doing your taxes, then by all means take the mold advice from just anyone. Solutions? When it comes to mold issues there is no cookie cutter solution, no magic wand, no one-size fits all. Each case has it's own set of variables and considerations. A product or ...

  MIT researchers are genetically engineering yeast to break down stubborn plant fibers into sugars that it can then ferment. This is a step towards a potentially cost-effective single-organism process for manufacturing cellulosic biofuels. The source of the genetic material: anaerobic fungi from the digestive system of a horse on a hay-only diet. By teaming up with genetic-sequencing experts at MIT, the researchers have developed a novel analytical approach that will enable them to determine which enzymes in gut fungi are key players in plant digestion and how those enzymes are made and assembled — information that will help them replicate the fungi’s cellulose-destroying capabilities in yeast. Their approach could reveal new enzymes that are champion cellulose degraders but naturally occur only in unknown organisms that cannot be grown in a lab. One promising source of renewable fuels is biomass from agricultural residues, grasses, and other dedicated energy crops. Methods exist ...

A recent meningitis outbreak has killed 30 people and sickened over 400. The involved fungus, typically has not been associated with such outbreaks. There is a reason, continue reading. The fungus of topic is Exserohilum rostratum . The fungus is typically found eating plant matter in nature.  As we know, mold is very opportunistic and will pretty much flourish anywhere in the right conditions. Exserohilum rostratum  has been identified in lab samples from 52 of those affected and was similarly found growing in unopened vials of steroids. These steroids  seem to be the cause of the outbreak. Exserohilum rostratum  prefers warmer, wetter environments, and has been found on a number of different plant species. They infect plants and in some cases precipitate tissue death. Once the plant dies, the fungus can feast on the remains. It could have found it's way into human patients through tainted steroids. Once inside a patient the fungus enters the dura matter, which encl...